Glass-grinding machinery



Seps 1 E.1 BFNDVVN GLASS GRINDING MACHINERY Original Filed Feb. 16. 1920 3 Sheets-Shoot l f' f @JM Sept. 16. 1924,. y ,5o878 E. T. BROWN GLASS GRINDING MACHINERY Original Filed Feb. 16, 1920 3x5heets 5hagt 2 W/ 771/555 y l /NVENfo/e aff. Ffa/ff Ea w/Mo 7.' ako w/v ATTORNEY Sept. 1s. 1924. 1,503,378.

E. T. BROWN GLASS GRINDING MACHINERY Original Filed Feb. 16 1920 3 4Shets-Sh'oef. 5

BY A TTOI'e/VEY EDWARD T. BROWN, OF-DETROIT, MICHIGAN, SSIGNOR TO FORD MOTOR COP,

0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, .A CORPO TION; OF MIOHIG Original application iled February 16, 1920, Serial No. 358,979. Divided and this application le May 16, 1921.

'A further object of my invention is toI provide means whereby the process of grinding may be continuously pursued, comprising the combination of means for continuously producing sheets of glass of uniformv quality and dimensions with means for grinding and inishing both sides of the pieces.

A further pbject of my invention is to provide improved means for mounting and conveying -tlie sheets of glass beneath successive grinders, reversing the sheets, and

grinding the second side.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved grinder, consisting in the form shown of a grinding head having a 'plurality of grinding Wheels mounted thereon to move in various directions at dierent speeds so that the various operations to smooth and polish the glass may be accomplished by a ysingle type of head.

' With these and lother objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination, and construction of the various parts of my improved device, as described in the specification, claimed in my claims,

and shown in the accompanying drawings,

in which: l

Figure l shows a side elevation of the conveyor and platformv which carries the cut pieces of glass beneath the grinding and smoothing devices.

Figure 2 is a top or plan view of vthe device shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of one of my improved surface treating devices.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device shown in Figure 3. n

Figure 5 is an enlarged, detailed view, parts being shown in section, which illus- Serial No. lft70,t'r93.

trates the construction of one form of smoothing device, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged, central, vertical section, detailed, of. a portion of my iinproved surface treatin .device.

It will be understoo that the glass sheets supplied to the grinding system here used are formed, asdescribed in my co-pending application, of which this is a division-that is, Athe glass owing from the tank is 'formed into a continuous strip by suitable rollers and then the strip is tempered and out into pieces oft a desired size. This system of grinding is, however, adapted' for grinding, polishing and finishing pieces of glass cut' t0 desired size and which have been formed by any system of glass manufacture.

When the glass sheet 'has been cut into pieces, one or more of the pieces are set in plaster upon the top of a c'art` or carrier, designated enerally by the referenceletter Ai It wil -be understood that the purpose of setting the-glass on the plaster is so that its upper surface may be ground and that the weight of the grinders on the glass may not shatter it due to irregularities inthe lower surface of the glass. After the glass is set4 as described, each cart or carrier A supporting the piece or pieces which it is designed to support, the carriers are placed on a platform, designated generally by the reference letter B, the carriers being positioned in end to end relation and advanced along theplatform B beneath rough-grinding devices and smooth-grinding devices. Enough rough grinding devices and smooth grinding devices are p the platform B so that the glass on each cart or carrier, A2, as it passes along the platform, may be both rough-ground and rovided in conjunction with smoothed ready for the polishing devices. i

I may also provide polishing devices in conjunction with the rough and smooth grinders so that the piece of glass need not be removed from the carrier A until one side of the glasshas been completely ground and polished.

As soon as the lass has been ground, or ground and polis ed, upon one side, the plaster in which it is set is softened in any suitable manner and the glass is then turned over and again set in plaster and then started along the, same or a second platform B, which is not here illustrated as the construction thereof is similar in al1 respects to the platform BI here shown. ll preferably provide suitable transfer means loe`1 tween the end of the platform B which grinds the first side of the glass and the start of theplatform B which does the grinding of the second side of the glass, and in conjunction with such transfer means, preferably provide such mechanical aids as may be desirable to assist in the turning over of the glass and the res-setting thereof.

lln connection with the grinding devices heretofore mentioned l have illustrated two forms thereof in the drawings, and the conn struction thereof will now be more particularly described, togetherwith the construction of the platforms' Bh The platforms B9 comprise a plurality of spaced supporting legs 10, which in turn support longitudinal frame members .11, Between the legs 1() is disposed a motor 12, operatively connected through a worm gearing 13, and chain 1l, to a drive conveyor 15, mounted .on sprockets 16, said sprockets being fixed to shafts 17, which are suitably supported in position at the bottom of and between the frame members 11, The conveyor 15 coinprises a chain having at intervals a. plurality of outwardly extending lugs 18, spaced apart distances substantially equal to and which may represent the length or a fraction of the length of the carriers Ah The carriers A? comprise a platform 19, having at its four corners laterally extending curved arms 20, which are 'designed to Aform supports for rollers 21.

The rollers *21, are flanged and run on a track' 22, se-

' cured 'to the upper inner edge of the frame members 11. lug or arm 23, projects downwardly from the platform 19. and is designed to co-act with the lugs 18 so that l movement of the conveyor will impart a corresponding longitudinal movement to the carts or carriers A along the platform Bi llt will thus be seen that the conveyor v15, together with the carts or carriers A3, form means for moving the pieces of cut and tempered glass continuously along the platform -B-, where they may come in contact with the grinding devices successively to eliminate irregularities in the surface of the glass. 'lhese grinding devices comprise yokes 24 which are mounted on the frame members 11, and extend across the platforms in position spaced above the path of travel of carriers At These yokes carry a central, vertical shaft 25, driven by the worm wheel 26, which in turn operatively connects with: a worm 27', driven by a motor 28, mounted on a suitable bracket 29, secured to the yoke 24. A

comparatively large and heavy bearing 30 is provided in the central portion or web of the yoke 2l, and a somewhat lighter bearing 31 1s provided at the upper web tessere of the yoke. A large wheel 32, is secured to the shaft 25, above the bearing 30, and acts as a positioning member to govern the relative vertical position of the shaft 25, if so desired. At the lower end of the shaft 25, is a grinding device which may be either of the forni illustrated in Figures, 3, el and 6, or of the form illustrated in Figure 5. ln either case the grinding is performed by rotating a cast iron disk 33, which is conm nected with the shaft 25, in such position that the lower surface of the disk 33 contacts with the upper surface of the glass on the carrier A9, so that when sand and water is introduced between the glass and the dish, the rotation of the disk causes an abrading action on the surface of the glass to thereby eliminate the irregularities thereof ll have found it desirable to make the grinding disk vertically adjustable and have, in. Fig. 6, illustrated one form of device for accomplishing that result. lin this form of devicethe large wheel 3 2 has a sleeve 3l positioned internal of and keyed to `the inner surface of the hub at 35. The interior of the sleeve 34 is threaded to co-act with a similarly threaded sleeve 36, which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 25. 'llhe shaft 25 is provided with a shoulder 3'? below the sleeve 36, and which co-acts therewith to hold the sleeve in place. Above the sleeve 36 is a thrust hearing 38, which extends through worm wheel 26 and cont-acts with a sleeve 39, which in turn supports a split ring 430, fixed to the shaft 25, below an annular flange 4:1, on the shaft. From the construction of the parts just described it will be seen that rotation of the wheel 32 will impart rotation to the sleeve 3l. which in turn co-acts with the sleeve 36, which will cause the sleeve 36 to be raised or lowered, dependin upon the direction of rotation of the whee 32. 'llhe sleeve 36 is held from rotation within the bearing 30 by means of a keyway.l2, which, however, permits the sleeve to reciprocate vertically. Vertical reciprocation of the sleeve 36 moves the shaft 25 downwardly or upwardly, due to the shoulder 37 or due to the sleeve 39 and collar lll. The hub of the wheel 32 is countersunk intol a collar d3, mounted above the bearing 30, and above the hub is a thrust bearing 64e upon which the worm gear 26 rests. The worm gear 26 is slidably keyed. to the sleeve 39 at l5, and the sleeve 38 is in turn slidably keyed to the shaft 25 at 46. lt will, therefore, be seen that vertical reciprocation to adjust the shaft 25 and sleeve 39 will not affect the vertical position of the worm wheel 26.

ln the form of device illustrated in Figures 3 and 4i, the disk 33 consists of a single,

large disk of slight-ly greater diameter than the width of the the form of device illustrated in Figure 5, a plurality of smaller disks are driven by means of a planetary transmission, which will now be described. These disks 33 are each secured to a shaft 47,`Which has at .its upper end a gear Wheel 48. A plate or disk 49 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 25, and has a plurality of spaced, vertical bearings 50, disposed at intervals around near its outer edge. rThe shaft 47 is received in the bearing 50 so that rotation of the shaft 25 imparts rotation to the disk 49 and in turn carries shafts 47 and disks 33 around through a circular path. 'A large ring gear 51 is secured to the transverse Web ofthe yoke 24 adjacent to the bearing 30 by means of bolts 52 and collars 53. The collars 53 act as spacing sleeves to position the ring gear 5l in horizontal alignment with the gear Wheels 48. Due to the mounting of the ring geai 5l it will be seen rotation or travel of the disks 33 in a circular path will cause the engagement of the gear Wheels 48 with the ring gear 5lto rotate the disks 33 during their circular travel.

ln this form of the device sand and water is introduced between the grinding disks 33 and the glass in the saine Way in which it is used where a single, large disk 33 is used.

l do'not desire to limit'niyself to cast iron grinding disks in combination with sand and Water for grinding, but may find it dcsirable to use disks of abrasive material.

Adjacent to each of the yokes'24 l provide a shield 54 w iich is secured to the yoke 24, and adapted to prevent the sand and water from the grinding disk being thrown on to the tracks. etc., during the rotation of the disk. in this connection it may also be mentioned that I have found the large, single disks desirable to use for the rough grinding of the glass and the plurality of smaller disks driven by the planetary transmission more desirable for the iinish or smooth grinding. i

The present invention is of such type as `to be particularly adapted for use in a general system of sheet glass production in which glass sheets are formed, annealed and then cut to grinding and polishing size, being brought into the zone of activity of the present invention. rfhe production of the glass sheet is not specifically.v claimed herein, but in the system referred to, which is in actual operation, the production is along the following lines: I

Glass is flowed from a spout onto a con-` veyor, then between a conveyor and. roller, whereby the molten glass is reduced to a predetermined Width and thickness. This molten glass is then carried by the further movement of the conveyor to position Where it has hardened somewhat so that it may be delivered to the slab 19 of the leer. 't is pulled through the leer by drawing conveyors, carried through an unheated chamber until sufficiently cooled to be exposed to the atmosphere, and then carried on a conveyor a distance suiiicient so that the strip of glass may be trimmed and cut to pieces of a desired size. These pieces are then taken off the last mentioned conveyor when cut and slid onto the moist plaster on a carrier tA, then the carrier A is rolled onto thetracks 22 of the platforms B.' The' platform B may be a continuation of the conveyor on which the glass is cut, and it will be understood that l may use the endless type of conveyor and provide an automatic-plaster mixer, so that the pieces of glass may be slid from the cutting conveyor to the platform B Without stopping its progress. It will thus be seen that the process of the manufacture of the glass, including the grinding, may be a continuous process, provided the proper number of workmen are provided for mounting the pieces of glass on the carriers A. After, the one side of the glass has been ground, it is loosened from the carrier, turned over, and remouiited in plaster. There again the process of turning the glass may be specded up by providing a suiiicient number of Workmen and carriers so that it may be ground o`n the reverse side linst as rapidly as on the first side. The grinding process, either on the first side or second side, may be carried on as rapidly as the cutting conveyor may turn out the pieces of glass byincreasing the number of grinding devices used or operated on the two platforms B., lt may, therefore, be said that by my improved method and machinery for making glass have devised a system whereby glass in plates may be turned out as rapidly at the end of the grinding process as the glass can be formed from a tank.`

The advantage of such a continuous system of grinding glass Will be obvious, both because of the low overhead expense involved therein due to the continuous use of Vall the machinery, and because of the improved quality of the glass due to its continuous production under constant conditions. ln this connection it may be mentioned that the quality of glass depends upon so many dierent elements that it is almost impossible to secure glass of uniform quality'becaiise so many conditions must be made uniform under ordinary lcircumstances. ld ith my improved arrangement, however. it. will be seen that the apparatus used will require but very slight attention to keep all the conditions of manufacture uniform throughout the time that the devices are being operated so that the glass turned 'eut Will be uniformly of good quality.

parting from the spirit of the invention therein and'it is my intention to cover byl my claims such changes as may be reasonably included within the scope thereof.

l claim as my invention:

1. ln the art of surfacing glass, and wherein the glass sheet is moved in a definite horizontal path beneath a fiXedly-positioned instrumentality; a carrier for the glass-sheet and tracks on `and between which it moves; a frame supported outside the tracks and eX- tending over the carrier travel path; a Surfacing unit mounted in the frame within spaced-apart upper and lower bearings, said' cluding a rotatable adjusting element cony centric with the shaft and positioned between the motor-operating connections and the lower bearing 2. A combination as in claim i characterized in that the operating connections.

between the motor and shaft include a worm and gear assemblys 'with the gear having a splined relation to the shaft to permit relative axial movement between shaft and gear.

3. ln the art of surfacing glass, and wherein the glass sheet is moved in a definite horizontal path beneath a. succession of iiX- edly-positioned. surface-producing instru- `nentalities individually active upon the passing sheet with the activity of one instrumentality made manifest upon the surface produced during activity of the preceding instrumentality, a carrier for the `glass-sheet and tracks on and between which it moves; an individual frame for each instrumental- --ity with each frame supported outside the Lacasse electric motor supported on the frame and operatively connected tothe shaftby a worm and gear connection; and unit-supporting and element-positioning means for and individual to each instrumentality and operative to produce controllable gravity-pressure of the individual elements on the sheet, whereby surface treatment activity at individual instrumentality stations can be controlled both by gravity-pressure and by speed of rotation of the formation.

4. A combination asin claim 3, characterized in that `the unit-supporting and elementpositioning means of each instrumentality includes a rotatable adjusting element operatively connected with the shaft and positioned between the worm and gear connections and the rotating surfacing element the unit.

5. ln the art of surfacing glass sheets, and wherein the supported sheet is moved relative to a surface-producing instrumentality, means for supporting such instrumentality to permit a controllable gravity-pressure application of the surface-producing formation upon the travelling sheet, means including a supporting frame structure above the plane of sheet movement; a rotatable unit carried by said frame and including a surfacing element and vertical shaft operatively, connected to the element and mounted in spaced-apart upper and lower bearings of the frame; driving means operative on the' shaft within the space between the bearings; and mechanism active within such space for supporting said Shaft to ermit controllable gravity positioning o the unit at will, said mechanism including a member supported by the frame adjacent the lower bearing and rotatable at will, a non-rotatable device concentric with and supported by the shaft,v said member and device having a threaded connection, and means on the shaft above the non-rotatable device and in operative relation to such device toplace the weight of the 'unit upon said formation and said member9 whereby rotation of the member 'will act to adjust the position of the unit while permitting unit yielding in presence resistance of superior value to the unit weight.

EDWARD T.. BRWN Witness: v

E. L. Davis 

